Call: 01392 678082

Established 2004

Ruddlesden geotechnical

Ruddlesden geotechnical provides ground investigation, geotechnical consultancy and contamination assessment services.

Based in Exeter, but covering the whole of the UK, albeit primarily concentrated in the South West, Ruddlesden geotechnical was formed in 2004.

Ruddlesden geotechnical works on behalf of a wide client base, including local, regional and national housing developers, housing associations, commercial developers, building contractors, structural and civil engineers, architects, building consultants, quantity surveyors, local authorities and private individuals.

Development projects range from single dwellings and extensions to large housing estates, multi-storey flats, offices, industrial units, roads, slopes, schools, hospitals and basements.

The services and projects listed on this web-site provide an indication of those undertaken by Ruddlesden geotechnical, but others are carried out. If your requirement is not readily identifiable on this web-site, please contact us as we may still be able to help you.

  • AGS
  • Constructionline
  • CSCS
  • SMAS
  • ECFC trust

Latest news

Recent projects

  • Latest news

    18 Jun 2026

    School Reunion and Connections

    Last weekend, Simon Ruddlesden went back to school, to celebrate the retirement of an exceptional geology teacher, who, together with colleagues, has built a department that consistently ranks among the best in the country.  The results speak for themselves: over 50% of the year group now take GCSE Geology; 85% of A-Level students achieved A or A* last year.There are incredible numbers and inspiring teaching. However, despite decades of producing highly capable geology students, very few of them have ended up in the ground investigation / geotechnical / geo-environmental industry. A missed opportunity, perhaps?As discussed at the recent AGS annual conference (and elsewhere), we are hearing that there are fewer well-trained graduates entering our industry, and we are seeing fewer universities offering geoscience degrees and fewer schools offering geology at GCSE and A-Level. However, perhaps the biggest challenge of all is awareness. Ask a school-age student what a career in geology looks like, and you’ll likely hear “mining…oil and gas…quarrying”. Our industry is often not even on the radar. If students don’t know we exist, why would they ever choose this path? Why would they pick geology at university if they don’t realise it could unlock a rewarding career in our field?So, Simon will be going back to school again, not to study, but to share what we do, why it matters, and how rewarding it can be. The ground investigation/ geotechnical/ geo-environmental industry won’t be for everyone, but there could be an untapped pool of future engineering geologists and geo-environmental engineers out there; we just need to reach them earlier. Let’s make sure the next generation know we exist!If you know of a school that would like to hear what Simon has to say about working in the industry, please get in touch. 

    School Reunion and Connections
    School Reunion and Connections

  • Recent projects

    P20 Groundwater Risk Assessment Demonstrates No Remediation Required

    At a former engineering works near Exeter, elevated levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were recorded in both the soil and groundwater beneath the site. As screening criteria had been exceeded in the groundwater beneath the site for these contaminants, further assessment was required to ascertain whether the recorded levels of contaminants beneath the site could migrate to off-site receptors, e.g. to a nearby river, and cause unacceptable levels of pollution to the water environment. Remedial targets were calculated using the Environment Agency’s Remedial Targets Worksheet (P20 assessment). In this instance, the recorded values were below the calculated remedial targets and the risk assessment demonstrated that unacceptable pollution was unlikely to occur to controlled waters, as the levels of contaminants on-site were modelled to have diluted by natural attenuation and dispersion processes before reaching the receptor. No further assessment or remedial works were considered to be necessary. This was agreed with and accepted by the Environment Agency.

    53-controlled-waters-risk-assessment-1

  • Recent projects

    Boreholes for Retaining Wall, North Devon

    To aid the design of a large retaining wallat a former glove factory in North Devon, Ruddlesden geotechnical were commissioned to undertake a geotechnical investigation to provide information on the ground conditions. Combined percussive and rotary drilling was undertaken, to obtain sufficient samples of the near surface soils and deeper rock materials, which could not be readily sampled using percussive or rotary methods in isolation. Cost (and time) savings were made by only mobilising one drilling rig, rather than have undertaken separate phases of investigation for the sampling of soils and rock materials. Photograph of the completed project, courtesy of the architect – Woodward Smith.

    12-glove-factory-reduced-2